As someone who has had pics published in a couple of the magazines, I merely e-mailed (sending a lo-res pic) the publisher and asking if they were interested. If so and depending what sort of media (slide, digital, ect...) I then send the requested the photo off. Nowadays more and more publications are accepting digital files. My photos in Airways, Airliners were published some years back when slides were the preferred media type.

If you have a 'topical' shot of a new aircraft, airline, new aircraft with a given carrier, special livery, ect..... Then you need to be quick to contact any of these publications and the best way is via e-mail again along a lo-res image. They usually have submission requirements inside the front cover.

I recently sold a shot to FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL. They saw the shot on here and emailed me. I gave them permission, and they used the shot right off here. Then they asked how I wanted payment, check, wire, etc. I chose a check, and it arrived in the mail. Simple enough.

For new schemes or new airline types what I do is email the editor and ask him if he needs a slide of it for the news section. This way I don't waist my time sending it out if he already has it from someone else. For most other article shots I've had published the editors have some of my slides on file or they will even contact me sometimes to find out if I might have something in particular they are looking for.

Much to my surprise last month I received an email via the a.net contact photog link from the editor-in-chief of Airline Pilot magazine inquiring about using one of my vertical Atlas 747F shots for their next cover. He said he was particularly interested in this one shot because it showed crew member boarding his plane... said he prefers to use those types of people shots whenever possible. So sometimes it does pay to shoot both vertical and people too! This is my 3rd cover now... first via a.net.

Thanks Shawn! He specifically asked me if it was a slide before I sent it out...
Here are the other two covers I've had. Whatever you do please don't ask Joe to show you all his covers (and there's plenty) because there's not enough bandwidth on a.net to show them all !

~Los

Shawn writes:

>>Excellent, Carlos. Was that cover a slide or digital? Can we see your other two covers?<<

lets not get carried away now cairless. I'm actually beginning to now document my published work, i've already put some stuff on my site but its gonna take me a good while to get it all on there, i even bought a flatbed scanner for this project.

I was contacted by Playboy Magazine (yes, that Playboy) because they had seen one of my soaring photos here on A.net. The single photo ended up used across two full pages with text inset. My FIRST Playboy spread.... alas.... she was a beauty..... my sailplane and I.

We negotiated by email, I sent the high-res scan by email, and they electronically deposited the funds into my bank account. Nary a piece of paper was used.

Other covers such as Flight International, Free Flight, Aerius have been through professional contacts via work.

The important thing is to think like a news photographer and illustrator. Once you get by the basic technical requirements (focus, composition, exposure etc.) you have to think of the news value to the publication. Pretty photos generally don't make it unless they have a news value or are directly related to, or used to illustrate a storyline. For magazine covers, you also have to think like an illustrator. Generally vertically framed photos, leave room for the headline, UPC barcode, and room for text headers that point to what is in the issue. Again, if the cover cannot convey the required information besides your photo, then your photo won't make it. But what a rush when it does.

Other ways to come to the attention of editors is to enter magazine photo contests such as the Aviation Week & Space Technology annual International Photo Contest. Slides ONLY (sorry digital guys) are the entry medium and you get great exposure especially if your image either wins or places well in one of the categories. And of course there is always the grand prize "Best of the Best" which is what we all strive for.

Yep Joe, I remember when I first figured out just how popular you were when I went through my old AW & ST magazines and saw your name all over the place hehe. No need to show all your covers and make us all jealous

Playboy spread, huh Steve? Now that's something to brag about! Good job btw. Yeah I have one of the AW & ST photo contest issues and it has (I think) two photos from Don Boyd in Miami. How is he doing? I haven't seen any pics from him recently...

Hi Shawn - I'm still around and have been lucky enough to have a few pages of photos added to the database recently. Next month's photo contest issue should have one of my shots in it. Thanks for asking.

Don

Photographing aircraft since the Earth was flat and on Airliners.net since #338

Age, or how long you have been shooting really has nothing to do with it. Effort, talent and just plain hard work are what count. Also there is no doubt that a little bit of luck helps.

I was the youngest person in Canadian history to win the National Newspaper Award for News Photography (Canadian equivalent of Pulitzer Prize) when I was only 20 and in first-year University. I shot a woman whose parachute roman-candled, she released to use the reserve, and Ooooops, it didn't work. She "splatted" right in front of me. I have a whole (B&W) motor drive sequence of this shot with a 300mm from just as she leaves the jump plane. Not a pretty sight, but it got my foot into the door of this business.

So what's my point. Just keep shooting, shooting, shooting, and shooting and sooner or later the breaks will come. You never can predict what will happen when, so the answer is to always have your camera with you and just keep the film cranking.

Hope this helps. Don't get discouraged and always remember to keep having fun at what you do.